


the undiscovered

by afrocurl



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: AO3 1 Million, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Artists, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - No Powers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 12:55:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1186449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afrocurl/pseuds/afrocurl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Raven Darkholme has spent her life studying the art of Charles Xavier, but when a friend gives her a series of personal letters from the artist, the art world will have to take notice of what had been hidden in plan sight all along.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the undiscovered

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Clarounette](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clarounette/gifts).



> Based on a prompt for an AU where Erik is a model and Charles is a painter, either UST or hidden relationship.

The works of Charles Xavier are well known, and will remain so, Raven thinks, as she looks at a small collection of his smaller works and more than a few sketches of finished pieces. Many of the sketches are of Xavier’s famous “At the Ritz”, where a male nude is sprawled out on the bed with his erection evident. The painting is infamous, and justifiably so; it’s the only recorded impressionist painting with a male nude.

Raven knows everything about Xavier; he’s been her thesis topic and her life’s passion. Which is why she’s staring at all of these sketches, studies and letters. The letters are what she finds most interesting so far. Because little is known of the man in Xavier’s painting; he’s only been that male nude who had no shame in showing off his arousal. The shock of the painting’s subject is still the topic of many art historians’ discussions. 

The letters are myriad, from and to Xavier and a man named Erik Lehnsherr. Raven reads the letters over and over again and after about the seventh reading, things between the two men start to fall into place. It is clear that they were close, and that Erik is the male nude in “At the Ritz” and that he’s hidden in others of Xavier’s paintings, only this time fully clothed. Until these letters, there had been no evidence that Xavier was homosexual, but that’s not true. Xavier was in love with Lehnsherr and the two of them were fortunate enough to keep the relationship a secret. Nowhere in the previous research had Xavier ever been seen with a man, and no one else amongst the salons in Paris said anything.

This secret will change the world, Raven’s sure. She really must thank Emma for finding the personal collection of Xavier in some old mansion in Westchester. Maybe there’s still more hidden away in the same place.

-

Paris, even after all these years, is a mindless place and Charles is happy to leave it. He has no more reason to stay and watch others stare at him with contempt because he dared to show off a male nude. 

Erik is a perfect model and an even more perfect paramour. Erik is quiet, but powerful and reserved when needed. There was always a tension in his body when Erik came to sit for a session.

Charles loves to look at those lines of Erik’s body and knows that they are his and his alone. To most of Paris, Erik is still just an unknown, and Charles wants to keep it that way.

That fact is why they’re both on a ship towards London today. Calais is beautiful, but Charles knows that Erik will never sit for a painting on the rocky beaches. Erik’s interested in being a subject of a landscape, however, and Charles smiles at that. 

The mansion in Westchester is full of grounds that will only bring out Erik’s ever changing eyes and his pale skin.

The ship’s horn blows and Charles can’t finish the thought. He and Erik will be able to discuss it more in private as soon as the boat is set towards England. If they manage to not have it then, then they will have it on the way to New York.

Charles has plenty of ideas regarding how the two of them will spend the time. Assuming that Erik will go along. 

-

Raven is happy to get the address for Xavier’s mansion and makes a trip up to the landmark. Though, to the unknown person, the house is just a house, albeit a large one. The caretaker, a nice man named Hank, shows Raven in without any fuss and promptly leaves her alone to wander.

The inside reveals little, even in the bedrooms, but as she looks to the outside, there’s a gazebo and a greenhouse that look as if they were sources of Xavier’s later inspiration. Not that the world knows much about the paintings that Xavier did once he moved here. Though, as she looks around, there are signs everywhere that Xavier and Lehnsherr kept their professional and personal relationship in New York. The centerpiece of their shared work is proudly displayed in the library of the house. There is a gorgeous painting of Lehnsherr, nude again, on the lawn of the property.

Raven wants to carefully ask Hank if there’s a way for her to take the paintings as part of the exhibit she wants to put together for MoMA. It’ll be the cornerstone of her career, and will change everything that the world knows about Charles Xavier. After all this time, she’s sure that Lehnsherr and Xavier wouldn’t mind their relationship being revealed and celebrated. As they were two gay men in the late nineteenth century, they could only be pleased with how far the world has come in terms of acceptance.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Luni for the quick beta and for Clarou being ever so patient as I finally fulfill this.


End file.
